Re: Ballistic SkillThe Musket is one scary firearm since it can kill and wound targets behind the first one hit. Potentially a character who has advanced to Hero can get a BS of 3+, so the Musket would hit on 5+. That isn’t so bad with Strength 8 and a chance at multiple kills. Although the Witch Hunter could always use Faith to up the chance to hit.

As far as the monsters with a ballistic skill go. I’ve given monsters long bows. The look on the players’ faces are priceless when suddenly the necromancer champion uses some kind of magical bow. It keeps the game interesting.

Re: Ballistic SkillAh, thanks. My friends and I were rather confused by this. I mean, say you had a ballistic skill of 5+, it made sense to us that a musket would be easier to aim than a bow, so the new ballistic skill with the musket would be 3+. But I guess it would have to be harder to hit to balance things out.

In Warhammer Role Play Book page 31:
“Strength 8; Fired at –2 Ballistic Skill;”

Since Warhammer Quest directly states the chance to hit “4+, 3+, etc” then subtracting two from the number does make sense. Your example of the 5+ now hitting on 3+.

Unfortunately odds are the “Ballistic Skill” is the same one they use in Warhammer Fantasy Battles and 40K. Which is a number that directly correlates to a chance to hit. The higher the Ballistic Skill the better To Hit chance.

So what they probably meant was if you used to have a BS of 4+, then your Ballistic Skill is 3. 3 (BS) – 2 (Musket) = 1. The modified BS 1 will hit on die rolls of 6+.

For whatever reason Games Workshop decided to state the chance to hit rather than the Ballistic Skill number in Warhammer Quest. In the rest of their books the only place you find the BS/Chance-to-Hit chart is in the shooting section of the main book. Otherwise the chance to hit is not listed anywhere else.

Yes it sucks. If you don’t like it then simply change it in your games or lobby for it with your game master.

Re: Ballistic SkillI like the other skirmish games as well: Mordheim and Gorkamorka (which is less supported than any other game except WHQ)

Muskets are new technology and very hard to aim. Bows are extremely accurate in the right hands, so it makes sense that you are -2 to all your hit rolls with it (which they call BS) Yes, it's irritating. But whatever. Also, Auto means that you'll automatically hit not matter what (like a magic missile). BS of 1+ means that even if you have -1 to hit (say because you're Feared) you'll STILL hit on a 2 or better!) However, a 1 is a 1 is a 1. When you roll a 1, you'll STILL miss even if your BS is 1+ and you have +2 to hit!

--- "Mine is a high art. I wound with cruelty those who would harm me." - Archillicus